WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.120 Fasting attracts divine visitation in this most extreme case Cornelius. He saw an angel. He said 2 00:00:08.120 --> 00:00:15.360 I was fasting when you fast. It's like it's like your spirit man is a giant satellite dish and you 3 00:00:15.360 --> 00:00:22.320 fast and you buff it real good and wax it and move all the debris off and you're more sensitive to 4 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:29.040 the spiritual realm who wouldn't want that. Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for 5 00:00:29.040 --> 00:00:34.960 joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. 6 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:41.360 If you want to connect with City Light Church feel free to visit us at citylightnyc.com 7 00:00:41.360 --> 00:00:49.280 that citylightnyc.com. Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit 8 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:55.280 is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching remember that you 9 00:00:55.280 --> 00:01:01.600 are deeply loved by God that you are surrounded by his grace and that he has a real hope and a 10 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:09.680 future for you. We have this 21 days of prayer and fasting coming up 11 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:19.360 in January which means that I have to minister on fasting but the only time I can teach on fasting 12 00:01:20.240 --> 00:01:29.280 is right now during Christmas which really doesn't seem to fit right because it's Christmas 13 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:36.000 and you're like getting ready to do irreparable damage to your bodies over the next 20 days. 14 00:01:36.880 --> 00:01:39.360 I'm kidding Lord I'm kidding you know I'm kidding 15 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:49.680 and it's not exactly everybody's favorite message. I'm putting your flesh under 16 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:54.880 but I want to minister on that because we're going to need it and we all need to be on the same 17 00:01:54.880 --> 00:02:01.120 page because 21 days of prayer and fasting is coming from January 1 we're starting right then 18 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:09.120 on Monday January 1 and going for 21 days and so we need to be on the same page and talk about 19 00:02:09.200 --> 00:02:14.080 what fasting is what it isn't and so that all of your questions on fasting can be answered maybe 20 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:17.680 you didn't have any questions on fasting because you never thought of it well now some questions 21 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:23.360 might arise and you can email us and we'll be sure to get back to you but Jesus he said when you 22 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:30.000 fast not if you fast yeah he started his lesson with when you fast meaning that he was assuming 23 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:38.480 he would and Jesus himself fasted for 40 days which he's our example so if the son of the living 24 00:02:38.480 --> 00:02:45.040 God went on a fast immediately after his baptism and his anointing still he went on a fast how much 25 00:02:45.040 --> 00:02:53.040 more should we anyone on a 40 day fast we're not going to do 40 days and it's up to you how long 26 00:02:53.040 --> 00:02:57.920 you fast that's between you and the Lord we'll be praying and fasting for 21 days whether you fast 27 00:02:57.920 --> 00:03:03.520 for one day or three days or seven days or ten days or the full 21 just make it fit so we're all 28 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:11.360 in unity and doing it at the same time make your block fit in that 21 days interesting to know 29 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:17.360 there's two other heroes of the Bible who fasted for 40 days that's Moses and Elijah 30 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:23.920 and when Jesus experienced the transfiguration when the glory that was within him began to manifest 31 00:03:23.920 --> 00:03:30.000 outside of him the two people that met him on that mountain top or guess who Moses and Elijah 32 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:36.320 it was like the 40 day fasting club met during the transfiguration hallelujah 33 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:44.880 so fasting is so powerful I'm going to give you five things that fasting will do for you five 34 00:03:44.880 --> 00:03:53.280 benefits to fasting please note that fasting is not a hunger strike it is not us trying to change 35 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:59.040 God by showing him how we really really mean it and how serious we are and how we're willing 36 00:03:59.040 --> 00:04:05.200 to deny ourselves food because that's how badly we want this thing that he's holding back from us 37 00:04:05.200 --> 00:04:11.680 it's not fasting does not change God God is good whether we fast or not God loves you whether you 38 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:18.320 fast or not he's a fountain of gifts he doesn't need change he doesn't need convincing we're the ones 39 00:04:18.320 --> 00:04:23.760 who change during a fast so if a fasting changes us it doesn't change God and I said fasting is 40 00:04:23.760 --> 00:04:28.640 an hunger strike because I've so often seen it presented in that spirit in that attitude 41 00:04:28.640 --> 00:04:34.400 like I'm going on strike God until you give me what I really really need and I'm not going to eat 42 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:42.480 until you get me my breakthrough and it's not that it's just going to change us amen and also you'll 43 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:47.120 be tempted come January 1 to say yes I'm going to fast because you want to lose those five to 10 44 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:54.720 fifth vanity pounds and I encourage you do not do not fast to lose weight in fact if you fast 45 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:59.840 just to lose weight I pray that the Lord will come and stick it right now look at it how come all 46 00:04:59.840 --> 00:05:07.440 the ladies just win no don't take that away but we have to have our motives pure amen sure you're 47 00:05:07.440 --> 00:05:14.160 going to lose weight that shouldn't be your motive here's five things the fasting will do for you 48 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:22.960 you ready Matthew 17 in verse 15 we're going to read 15 through 21 number one fasting purifies it 49 00:05:22.960 --> 00:05:30.640 purifies your faith Lord have mercy on my son for he is an epileptic and suffers severely for 50 00:05:30.640 --> 00:05:37.120 he often falls into the fire and often into the water so I brought him to your disciples but they 51 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:43.280 could not cure him then Jesus answered and said oh faithless and perverse generation how long 52 00:05:43.280 --> 00:05:49.440 shall I be with you how long shall I bear with you bring him here to me and Jesus rebuke the demon 53 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:56.400 and it came out of him and the child was cured from that very hour then the disciples came to 54 00:05:56.400 --> 00:06:03.440 Jesus privately and said why could we not cast it out and Jesus said to them because of your unbelief 55 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:12.480 everything you never received from the Lord is by faith from your salvation to healing to just 56 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:18.000 really the daily satisfaction you will get out of life every day it's something we all need to 57 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:26.320 trust him for just to be contented every single day I got to receive that by faith every day I 58 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:33.440 got to stand on the word that says he satisfies my mouth with good things you receive that by faith 59 00:06:33.440 --> 00:06:40.160 but it is possible to be in a place where along with that faith there's also some doubt and 60 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:46.720 unbelief mixed in some confusion that little voice in the back of your mind that's telling you 61 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:54.160 the opposite of the truth of God's word anybody ever hear that voice fasting shuts that voice up 62 00:06:56.400 --> 00:07:01.760 Jesus said you couldn't get the job done like I could because of your unbelief a lot of us myself 63 00:07:01.760 --> 00:07:09.120 included I like that man who came to Jesus Jesus said to him all things are possible to him who 64 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:16.400 believes and the man said Lord I believe please help my unbelief well which one is it yes 65 00:07:17.280 --> 00:07:24.320 it's both I believe and at the same time while I believe there's these inner mumblings and mental 66 00:07:24.320 --> 00:07:32.400 ramblings and I'm up one day down the next and I don't know Lord I believe but help my unbelief 67 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:42.480 you'll see we'll keep reading what the cure or at least one of them is because of your unbelief 68 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:49.120 Jesus said for surely I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed you will say to this mountain 69 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:55.680 move from here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you however this 70 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:01.280 kind now specifically here he was talking about a particular spirit a particular demon this kind 71 00:08:01.280 --> 00:08:08.560 does not go out except by prayer and fasting but it's not a stretch to realize that this can 72 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:14.560 imply to every area of our life that Jesus said your problem is unbelief you should have added 73 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:22.160 fasting to your praying because fasting will purify your faith and it'll shut down that nagging 74 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:27.120 voice how many of you who fast that you can say amen I have actually lived this I've experienced 75 00:08:27.200 --> 00:08:34.960 just that a cleansing of the faith amen my first 40 day fast it was year one of city light 76 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:42.480 and we had initially started in the ballroom on 53rd and 3rd in midtown Manhattan and then we 77 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:48.800 wanted to get 7th street remember beautiful 7th street for 17 and a half years we had 7th street 78 00:08:48.800 --> 00:08:53.360 a small little place in the east village and out of that small little place was birthed all the 79 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:57.680 missions endeavors we have around the world this church was birthed out of 7th street the 80 00:08:57.680 --> 00:09:01.360 Brooklyn church was birthed out of 7th street everything we ever did came out of 7th street 81 00:09:02.160 --> 00:09:07.440 I just wanted that place but it was a building that was over 100 years old and I needed a 82 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:13.440 certificate of occupancy a COO and I had to come up with it I'm 26 years old I don't know what I'm 83 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:18.800 doing but I'm in the middle of a 40 day fast and somehow I find out I need to go to department 84 00:09:18.800 --> 00:09:24.560 of buildings ended up in Jamaica Queens at the department of buildings and have you ever 85 00:09:24.560 --> 00:09:31.040 been to a bureaucratic institution in New York City so imagine I'm already intimidated as it is 86 00:09:31.040 --> 00:09:39.440 and I come into the department of buildings and it is just wild shoulder to shoulder it actually 87 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:44.400 looked like the stock market pit you know the pit well just everybody shouting wave in their 88 00:09:44.400 --> 00:09:56.320 hairs and look like a Bosnian flea market I'm going what what do I do and I see a woman behind 89 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:05.920 a counter and in that moment I'm like I just I just knew that she was saved I just she may not 90 00:10:05.920 --> 00:10:12.960 have been but I knew at least that she would be on my side if she knew I was you know what I'm 91 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:18.800 it's like the largest I'm looking at everybody I'm like this is this is your woman he says to me 92 00:10:18.800 --> 00:10:26.400 so I I go right up to her and I pull out the pastor card I go right up to her I'm like I'm a pastor 93 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:34.720 I need something called a COO or we cannot get this building everybody's I've been going around 94 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:40.400 in circles for weeks now how do I get this thing and she looked at me she went and she disappeared 95 00:10:41.280 --> 00:10:45.680 it was like 15 minutes someone I'm like I think she forgot about me she came back with a document 96 00:10:45.680 --> 00:10:51.200 she and it said there is no existing COO because the building from the 1880s but it was a 97 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:57.200 document it said whatever we wanted we could do in there and I walked out going hey hallelujah 98 00:10:58.800 --> 00:11:06.480 but I went in there strong and I went in there with my faith unclogged very rarely are we operating 99 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:13.680 on 100% pure high octane unadulterated faith am I right or am I right there's usually just this 100 00:11:13.680 --> 00:11:19.360 these little grains that the enemy throws in grains of unbelief and doubt and that stuff will 101 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:24.000 snuff out the power of God Jesus said it right here it said because of your unbelief you were 102 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.440 listening to the little nagging voice more than you worded the truth of my word fasting is a cure 103 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:39.120 for that amen if it was just that it'd be enough for me hallelujah let's go to Daniel chapter 10 104 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:49.760 verses two through three in those days in those days I Daniel was mourning three four weeks 105 00:11:51.280 --> 00:11:57.200 I ate no pleasant food maybe the Lord came and just poured out his spirit in the beginning of 106 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:02.240 the service so you'd be able to stomach when I'm about to share right now it didn't go over too well 107 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.600 in the first service and it was just like a side note and the air sucked right out of the room 108 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:14.160 so this isn't my point for number two but I do just want to point this out that how many of you've 109 00:12:14.160 --> 00:12:22.240 heard of a Daniel fast right no sweets no meats eat a salad this is why I married Emily I'm so 110 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:27.440 proud of her she's been on a Daniel fast for the last 20 years what a woman of God 111 00:12:29.520 --> 00:12:34.000 I just want to let you know I must say this also just deviating from the message everything is fine 112 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:41.920 between my wife she's not here her father was in a play in Pennsylvania and she took my kids 113 00:12:43.280 --> 00:12:50.640 and our kids excuse me see I let it out no our kids no because I'm sorry I went into somebody 114 00:12:50.640 --> 00:12:55.680 after the first service the folks from Virginia somebody came up to me very concerned and said is 115 00:12:55.680 --> 00:13:00.080 everything all right pastor I noticed your wife's not here and you have a scar on the side here 116 00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:06.960 so I looked at her very serious and said it's not all right she cracked me over the head with a 117 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:15.520 bottle and left I didn't say that tour but that's I said yeah everything is fine the scar is a 118 00:13:15.520 --> 00:13:20.000 basal cell I had removed two weeks ago and everything's fine with that too but I don't even think 119 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:25.440 of mentioning this stuff then you realize where some people's minds go that's really not an NYC 120 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:30.080 thing I've never done of you all of you you've seen the scar nobody even thought to ask he'll be all 121 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:41.280 right I'm sure it's fine which is cool your cool I'm cool it's great now where where was I with my 122 00:13:41.280 --> 00:13:51.920 message somebody helped me Daniel fast I thought of my wife because all right in Christianity learn 123 00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:58.640 to question everything somehow we have just accepted this norm of a Daniel fast because so 124 00:13:58.640 --> 00:14:05.280 and so wrote a book about it and then three others so and so quoted it and a Daniel fast is 125 00:14:05.280 --> 00:14:09.920 supposedly a fast where you can eat all you want but you're eating lettuce and chomping on carrots 126 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:16.400 and having broccoli and it's no sweets no meats yet it never says that that's a Daniel fast 127 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:22.320 and most theologians agree that the Daniel fast was a full fast in fact the very word fast 128 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:29.680 means to close the mouth amen but in America especially you're not going to find the Daniel fast in 129 00:14:29.680 --> 00:14:36.640 other parts but is there Daniel fast in South Korea they you know what they got to stop reading 130 00:14:36.640 --> 00:14:43.520 American authors we always want to make things easy Daniel says I ate no pleasant food 131 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:51.920 you know what kind of food is pleasant food all food he just said I ate no pleasant food no meat 132 00:14:51.920 --> 00:14:57.680 or wine came into my mouth nor did I know it myself at all that's all that said how you get that 133 00:14:57.680 --> 00:15:02.240 you can eat as many salads as you want from that I have no idea but sometimes we just accept 134 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:08.800 these things without ever questioning them I ate no pleasant food no meat or wine came into my mouth 135 00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:15.600 nor did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled he went on a fast for three 136 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:21.760 weeks this is during the Babylonian captivity the Jews were taken captive taken a Babylon and Daniel 137 00:15:21.760 --> 00:15:28.880 is praying for breakthrough but not just praying he's fasting for breakthrough and on the 21st 138 00:15:28.880 --> 00:15:35.920 day the angel of the Lord comes and says from the first moment you sent your face to see God I 139 00:15:35.920 --> 00:15:42.160 was sent you know the moment you pray the answer is released but he said there was war in the 140 00:15:42.160 --> 00:15:48.160 heavenlies and I had resistance in the spiritual realms but you were praying you were standing on 141 00:15:48.160 --> 00:15:55.680 God's word and you were fasting on on the 21st day I got the breakthrough amen number two is my 142 00:15:55.680 --> 00:16:05.920 point fasting hastens breakthrough in your life amen okay we should we have a moment for the 143 00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:13.600 Daniel fast thirty seconds of silence for a dearly departed friend I know you've probably gone on 144 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:18.560 them I tried once felt no anointing on it years ago and then okay now you're gonna get a real 145 00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:28.160 upset at me if you're working then just fast one day fast two days if you're working very vigorously 146 00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:32.800 a working with your body that's my encouragement to you but all I want I just want us to have a 147 00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:37.680 proper fast however long you want but if you're gonna fast make it an actual biblical fast and the 148 00:16:37.680 --> 00:16:43.520 very word fast means close your mouth yeah amen drink oh I forgot to say this in the first service 149 00:16:44.160 --> 00:16:51.440 drink all you like drink lots of water and drink fresh squeezed vegetable juices and fruit juices 150 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:58.560 don't please don't be making high sea and and you know none of that artificial stuff you can drink 151 00:16:58.560 --> 00:17:04.720 whatever you like drink plenty of healthy juices and and lots and lots of water but nothing 152 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:09.600 goes in your mouth during your fast amen and I feel like this got popularized because in America 153 00:17:09.600 --> 00:17:14.960 we kept lowering the bar because no one was rising up so it because you know first came the 154 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:22.960 Daniel fast and it's like well if you want to give up chocolate you know okay personally I'm 155 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:29.680 fasting radishes major sacrifice and then I heard preachers say you know why don't you fast 156 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:37.920 television fast screen time you can avoid it or don't do it but it's not a fast amen 157 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:47.680 oh hallelujah number one fasting purifies your faith number two fasting hastens break through 158 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:52.080 I don't know about you but there's specific areas in my life some areas where I can feel myself 159 00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:58.160 growing I can feel myself advancing and then there's other areas where it's like I hit a lid 160 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:05.200 like there's a seven foot ceiling over me and I'm just and I come back down that's where you need 161 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:11.680 the breakthrough the number one way to get a breakthrough is actually just quickly do something 162 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:20.560 you're afraid of doing in that particular arena amen but at fasting to the mix and fasting hastens 163 00:18:20.560 --> 00:18:25.600 breakthrough hallelujah remember this isn't a transactional thing with God we're not buying his 164 00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:30.800 blessings those have all been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus and we are not a 165 00:18:30.800 --> 00:18:36.240 where if we are not a works based church we're a grace based church but in grace there still are 166 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:43.280 some things we can do not do with regard to our salvation that's done but with our Christian walk 167 00:18:43.280 --> 00:18:48.240 there are things that we can do to hasten the blessings of God to hasten the breakthrough of God 168 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:59.600 number three found in Psalms 35 13 but as for me when they were sick my clothing was sack 169 00:18:59.600 --> 00:19:09.360 cloth watch this I humbled myself with fasting number three fasting humbles you why is that so 170 00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:14.400 important because there are so many blessings associated with the person whose humble the Bible 171 00:19:14.560 --> 00:19:21.440 says God resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble he gives grace to the humble so humility is 172 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:29.760 something to be pursued and humility who can tell me the definition of humility say loud 173 00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:36.560 your dependence on God and that's all it is don't over complicate it it's how much are you 174 00:19:36.560 --> 00:19:42.560 clinging to his cloth how much are you looking to him that's humility it gets warped and changed 175 00:19:42.560 --> 00:19:49.360 all the time to your decibel level your personality type the color of your clothing how much money you 176 00:19:49.360 --> 00:19:52.960 have or don't none of that has anything to do with humility there's some people who are very very 177 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:59.840 very quiet and very very very poor and there's some of the proudest people on earth amen and I've 178 00:19:59.840 --> 00:20:05.760 seen people were very very loud and very very boisterous and then you talk to them and you realize 179 00:20:05.760 --> 00:20:10.000 they're like Solomon who said I don't even know if I can come in or go out except the Lord 180 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:16.160 and that was Solomon think of that humility he was already a king who's great but he said Lord 181 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.760 I can't even go through a doorway unless you take my hand you're the dad I'm the child 182 00:20:20.560 --> 00:20:26.800 that's what you want humility how does fasting help with humility well when you fast you'll quickly 183 00:20:26.800 --> 00:20:34.960 find out that you need Jesus when you fast why because food takes up so much of our lives and 184 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:40.800 fills so many emotional holes that we have in our soul how many times do we reward ourselves with 185 00:20:40.800 --> 00:20:46.000 food especially New York City everything revolves around food let's go out after church for food 186 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:52.160 let's meet for food everything is food we reward ourselves with food we reward our children food 187 00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:59.680 and the one of the first things you'll notice when you're fasting all of a sudden life gets 188 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:08.240 very raw and very very lonely anybody experience the loneliness of fasting it's like the old 189 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:14.400 westerns with the ghost town it's just like a wistling wind and a bramble bush that just blows 190 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:23.040 because now the entertainment is gone the food is gone you can't suppress any emotions with food 191 00:21:23.040 --> 00:21:27.200 you can't heighten any emotions with food a lot of food is just really powerful drugs that we 192 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:35.760 ingest now it's raw now it's just you and Jesus and the first 48 hours are the toughest 193 00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:42.400 that's when your flesh just starts to protest really squealing like a stuck pig 194 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:51.840 and you'll be tempted to quit and you'll be made humble because you'll be needy independent on 195 00:21:51.840 --> 00:21:58.560 Jesus and you'll realize how many little band-aids food had in your life and you'll just be 196 00:21:58.560 --> 00:22:04.400 forced to look to Jesus and he will satisfy your every need and now you will have grown in humility 197 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:09.040 and when you're grown humility you become a bull's eye for the blessings of God because he 198 00:22:09.040 --> 00:22:19.120 resists the proud but he heaps grace upon grace on the humble hallelujah hallelujah we should look 199 00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:27.920 forward to that to really to get back to the basics when the music fades and all is is it swept 200 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:39.040 away that whole song and then we come back to the heart of worship and it can be excruciating 201 00:22:39.280 --> 00:22:51.360 oh hallelujah number four acts 10 30 verse acts in 30 to 31 202 00:22:55.360 --> 00:23:02.800 so Cornelia said four days ago I was fasting until this hour and at the ninth hour say I was 203 00:23:02.800 --> 00:23:10.320 fasting and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in bright 204 00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:16.720 clothing and said Cornelius your prayer has been heard and your arms are remembered in the 205 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:26.240 sight of God number four fasting attracts divine visitation in this most extreme case Cornelius 206 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:35.600 he saw an angel but he said I was fasting when you fast it's like it's like your spirit man is a 207 00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:43.120 giant saddle like dish and you fast and I you buff it real good and wax it and move all the 208 00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:49.280 debris off and you're more sensitive to the spiritual realm who wouldn't want that who doesn't 209 00:23:49.280 --> 00:23:55.120 want that you see every time you see fasting in the Bible there's always some kind of divine 210 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:59.920 visitation some kind of supernatural breaking into the natural realm 211 00:24:05.040 --> 00:24:10.000 and if you're dry if you feel like you haven't sensed the presence of God and oh too long 212 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:17.920 I would encourage you to join us on this 21 days of prayer and fasting fasting awakens your 213 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:22.240 spirit man again it doesn't change God but it changes you and your flesh 214 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:28.640 scriptureally speaking past tense was already crucified with Christ the only problem is that it 215 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:35.520 keeps trying to cause you to forget and get up off that cross but fasting puts your flesh under 216 00:24:35.520 --> 00:24:41.200 and causes your spirit man to grow big Smith Wigglesworth used to say I'm a thousand times bigger 217 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:45.840 on the inside than I am on the outside it wasn't on about the Holy Spirit he was talking about his 218 00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:53.120 own human spirit that's entwelt by the Holy Spirit it grows large isn't amazing you don't eat 219 00:24:53.120 --> 00:24:59.840 but your spirit man grows large hallelujah number five 220 00:25:02.560 --> 00:25:07.440 ax 13 1 through 3 worship team you can come on up 221 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.480 and you can lead us in any language you like 222 00:25:16.800 --> 00:25:21.840 now in the church that was at Antioch there was certain prophets and teachers 223 00:25:22.800 --> 00:25:29.120 Barnabas simian who was called Niger Lucius of Cyrene Manian who had been brought up with 224 00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:38.240 Herod the tetrarkin saw as they ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said as they 225 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:48.160 ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said what is fasting do it brings about the 226 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:56.080 Holy Spirit said fasting it's not that God starts talking more but your satellite dish has been 227 00:25:56.080 --> 00:26:01.840 buffed God's talking all the time we're just so bad at listening but when you're fasting and 228 00:26:01.840 --> 00:26:06.880 the music fades away and all it swept away and you're there you're laying down crying out to the 229 00:26:08.080 --> 00:26:16.240 Lord I'm lonely if this is just different this feels like I'm I'm being born again again like 230 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:20.800 whoo like that times when I fasted I felt like I was soaring through the cosmos probably my 231 00:26:20.800 --> 00:26:32.240 adrenal glands but it just you know you know when you're fasting nobody gets you nobody gets you 232 00:26:33.040 --> 00:26:37.280 you look around and everybody's going about their merry life you go especially right in 233 00:26:37.280 --> 00:26:42.480 New York City walk on the street what do you see in every window and you're just walking like 234 00:26:42.560 --> 00:26:50.080 nobody gets me the only one who gets you is Jesus you're a high priest the one who was tempted in 235 00:26:50.080 --> 00:26:59.760 every way who knows who also fasted for 40 days he gets you hallelujah and fasting will activate 236 00:26:59.760 --> 00:27:04.160 the Holy Spirit I can do anything I can go through anything if I have the word of the Lord 237 00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:10.400 you want to describe a depressing time whenever the Bible describes a depressing season 238 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:16.880 in the nation of Israel it always starts off with the word of the Lord was scarce in those days 239 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:24.000 that the word of the Lord being scarce equals depression so I need him to speak to me not just 240 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:28.240 from his word thank God for his word I'm in his word daily but I need a fresh word to my heart 241 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:32.720 there's something that's just been coming up in my life in the last few days that I hadn't had 242 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:38.560 the word of the Lord on it was a concern having to do with Brooklyn and the flooding and the 243 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:46.400 and I won't get into the details but I was just pumping gas in my car and the Lord 244 00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:53.840 flashed that anxiety of mine in my mind is this will not happen that was the word of the Lord 245 00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:06.560 I'm at a crusade crusade crusade I said this will not happen and I let it take root in my spirit and 246 00:28:06.560 --> 00:28:11.600 I knew that was the word of the Lord and then all worry all care all anxiety was God you can do 247 00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:16.320 anything you can go through anything as long as you have the word of the Lord as long as you 248 00:28:16.320 --> 00:28:23.360 sense and talk to you in your heart and fasting brings about the Holy Spirit said now separate to 249 00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:30.640 me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them then having fasted and prayed 250 00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:38.240 and laid hands on them they sent them away hallelujah fasting purifies your faith fasting 251 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:44.560 hasten to break through fasting brings about humility fasting opens you up to divine 252 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:53.200 visitation and fasting brings about the Holy Spirit said hallelujah and what better way to enter 253 00:28:53.200 --> 00:29:00.640 into 2024 which I believe for us is going to be one heck of a ride and the Lord is going to show 254 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:07.120 himself strong on our behalf there's never a time where I wanted to be so reminded and be in the 255 00:29:07.120 --> 00:29:16.720 Jesus zone can you agree so I'm encouraging you join us starting January first speak to the 256 00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:21.920 Lord fast however long he tells you to fast we're going to be sending you out an email with some 257 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:27.760 more details on fasting and if you have any questions please email us but really it's between you 258 00:29:27.760 --> 00:29:34.800 and the Lord and you know I always stress that between you and the Lord 259 00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:43.440 amen because you also don't want to be that person who has to let everybody know that they're fast 260 00:29:45.120 --> 00:29:52.400 all right you people tend to go one of two ways one way is they got to let everybody know I'm 261 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:57.280 suffering you got to suffer with me they come to the Christmas party and they're they just can't 262 00:29:57.280 --> 00:30:03.840 wait for somebody to ask them why they're not partaking of the cheese dip are you hungry yes 263 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:11.600 so why so why aren't you eating well are you fasting yes I am 264 00:30:13.760 --> 00:30:20.640 sounding a trumpet before you yes I am Jesus that you lost your reward I came from a church 265 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:25.280 where there was so legalistic about not telling anyone we'd go out and there wasn't a person 266 00:30:25.280 --> 00:30:30.160 eating and I asked yeah are you fasting and they were like hmm like really nervous like I don't 267 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:34.880 know how I can't lie to you and tell you I'm not but I can't tell you I am or I lose my reward 268 00:30:35.520 --> 00:30:42.560 like there is there isn't yeah I'm fasting but you don't have to look like you got beaten up 269 00:30:43.280 --> 00:30:49.680 by band of robbers going down all morose she said anoint your head wash your face put a smile 270 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:57.760 and don't appear unto men to fast for attention your reward is they'll all think oh you're so 271 00:30:57.760 --> 00:31:04.560 spiritual but your heavenly word is nullified then amen hallelujah who'll be joining us January 272 00:31:04.560 --> 00:31:10.400 1st through the 21st hallelujah and trust me if you don't feel it now you definitely will 273 00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:16.480 will be meeting here on December 31st for New Year's Eve not at midnight but same service times 274 00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:24.080 and then the very next day we're getting together amen let's pray father you're so good and you 275 00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:32.240 hold 2024 in your hands we know that we're living in unique times Lord I've spoken to people in their 276 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:39.680 80s who said that what's happening in the world today and the ups and downs they've never experienced 277 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:44.320 in their lifetime spoken to people in their 80s on different continents who say the same thing 278 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:52.640 so it is a unique time and we trust Lord your word that will be the head and not the tail will 279 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:58.560 be above only an opnith the Bible says in destruction and famine you shall laugh father we just 280 00:31:58.560 --> 00:32:06.720 take this time to pray for our country Lord that your good will happen here father that the word 281 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:12.160 of God would have free course that the prince of peace that your Shalom would be upon the United 282 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:17.280 States of America and yes even the whole world we thank you the blood of Jesus is on our land 283 00:32:17.280 --> 00:32:23.360 and that the plans and strategies and wiles of Satan are thwarted and we still have hope in America 284 00:32:23.360 --> 00:32:29.520 in Jesus name but only because of you oh God father that you would turn to nothing the strategies 285 00:32:29.520 --> 00:32:40.000 of the enemy and that you would cause your people to arise we thank you for it in Jesus name amen amen 286 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:50.960 hallelujah this is the city light church podcast if you've missed any part of today's message 287 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:56.160 or if you would like to find out more about pastor boy on jansik and city light church visit us at 288 00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:05.440 citylightnyc.com that's citylightnyc.com feel free to visit us online or in person anytime we would 289 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:11.440 love to connect with you we pray that you have been encouraged today that you have been reminded how 290 00:33:11.440 --> 00:33:17.760 much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace thank you for listening make sure that 291 00:33:17.760 --> 00:33:26.160 you subscribe to city light church podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide